NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the ongoing trial in the assets case before a Bangalore court against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa for 10 days.
A bench, comprising Justices B S Chauhan and A K Sikri, however, said that the civil proceedings, pending before the same trial court in Bangalore, would go on. The civil proceedings relate to the plea of various companies alleging that some of the properties, shown as part of the assets of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, actually belonged to them. “We are keeping at abeyance the trial in the criminal proceedings for 10 days. However, it is made clear that the civil proceedings will go on,” the bench said and fixed the petition for further hearing on June 6.
The bench also issued notice to the Director General Vigilance on the petition filed by AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa. Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, appearing for the petitioner, said that grave prejudice would be caused if the criminal trial was not stayed. The court had on May 13 said it was not inclined to stay the trial in the Bangalore court in the assets case against Jayalalithaa and others.